Best Hart House Literary Podcasts (2024)

1
Transcribing Feelings 1:18:44

1y ago1:18:44

1:18:44

Juliann speaks with two emerging musicians about the place of emotion in musical composition. First, Matt Jonn Lewis discusses collaborative song writing and Spirit Josh’s album On God (2021). Then, Eliza Niemi speaks about crafting an album and her recent Staying Mellow Blows (2022). For more from the Hart House Student Literary and Library Commit…

1
Open Water 54:24

1y ago54:24

54:24

Marta, Aïsha, and Meixi discuss Open Water, a 2021 novel by Caleb Azumah Nelson. They focus on the novel’s descriptions of beauty, its humanizing attention to the grain of everyday life, and its cultivation of joy.By Hart House Student Literary and Library Committee

1
Mixed Media Writing w/ Alice Graham and Maynard McKinnon 1:22:58

1+ y ago1:22:58

1:22:58

Juliann speaks with two emerging authors about mixed media writing. First, Alice Graham speaks on the importance of love in one's writing and how to find a writing voice. Then, Maynard McKinnon discusses microfiction and zines. For more from the Hart House Student Literary and Library Committee, visit hhlitandlib.ca.…

1
Love w/ Alexandra Gustafson 34:04

1+ y ago34:04

34:04

This year, our Dialogues series focuses on "miracles." In this conversation with UofT philosophy PhD candidate Alexandra Gustafson, Alex discusses the benefits and drawbacks of understanding romantic love as a miracle. Topics of discussion include the relation between love and specificity and the role of literature in the crystallization of love as…

1
Before the Coffee Gets Cold 55:22

1+ y ago55:22

55:22

Marta, Aïsha, and Meixi discuss Before the Coffee Gets Cold, a 2015 novel by Toshikazu Kawaguchi. They focus on the story’s treatment of time travel and its relation to the slice-of-life genre. For more from the Hart House Student Literary and Library Committee, visit hhlitandlib.ca.By Hart House Student Literary and Library Committee

1
Kaitlyn Matthews and Elaine Lee 32:53

1+ y ago32:53

32:53

Juliann speaks with Kaitlyn Matthews and Elaine Lee, winners of the Hart House Literary Contest in the prose and poetry categories, respectively, about their prize-winning pieces and contest-writing more broadly. For more from the Hart House Student Literary and Library Committee, visit hhlitandlib.ca.…

1
Recitatif 43:31

2y ago43:31

43:31

Marta, Aïsha, and Meixi discuss Toni Morrison’s “Recitatif," the story’s deconstruction of racial codes in life and literature, and the challenges of the short story form. For more from the Hart House Student Literary and Library Committee, visit hhlitandlib.ca.By Hart House Student Literary and Library Committee

1
André Babyn and Ali Pinkney 49:05

2y ago49:05

49:05

Juliann speaks with André Babyn (UofT English), author of Evie of the Deepthorn (2020, Dundurn), and Ali Pinkney (UofT English), author of a forthcoming novella, about the relationship between writing and memory. For more from the Hart House Student Literary and Library Committee, visit hhlitandlib.ca.…

1
Event: An Introduction 35:28

2y ago35:28

35:28

Alex and Madison introduce our new Dialogues theme, “Event.” They focus on the provisional thesis for the series: namely, that literature, as an artistic form for which the demarcation between the possible and the impossible is constitutively uncertain, intervenes decisively in the social processes that establish certain artistic, ethical, and poli…

1
Robert McGill 45:23

2y ago45:23

45:23

In our first Next Generation episode of our third season, Juliann speaks with Robert McGill (UofT English) about his new book, A Suitable Companion for the End of Your Life (Coach House, 2022), and the joys and challenges of working as an author and critic. For more from the Hart House Student Literary and Library Committee, visit hhlitandlib.ca.…

1
Chemistry 48:14

2y ago48:14

48:14

Marta, Aïsha, and Meixi discuss Weike Wang’s Chemistry (Text, 2018), focusing on the novel's treatment of the experience of second-generation immigrants, relationships between parents and children, and the search for a vocation. For more from the Hart House Student Literary and Library Committee, visit hhlitandlib.ca.…

1
My Year of Rest and Relaxation 50:04

2y ago50:04

50:04

In the first episode of our third season, Marta, Aïsha, and Meixi discuss mental illness, social satire, and plotting and temporality in Ottessa Moshfegh’s My Year of Rest and Relaxation (2018). For more from the Hart House Student Literary and Library Committee, visit hhlitandlib.ca.By Hart House Student Literary and Library Committee

1
Endnote Season 3 Trailer 1:18

2y ago1:18

1:18

The third season of Endnote begins on Friday, August 12th! Here's a preview of what's in store.By Hart House Literary and Library Committee

1
Fashion Writing w/ Lauren Gillingham 46:29

2+ y ago46:29

46:29

Alex speaks with Professor Lauren Gillingham (uOttawa English) about nineteenth-century novelists' engagements with fashion as they relate to her forthcoming book, Fashionable Fictions and the Currency of the Nineteenth-Century British Novel (Cambridge UP). Key topics of conversation include nineteenth-century conceptions of time and history, fashi…

1
Next Generation 5 w/ Anvesh Jain 46:26

2+ y ago46:26

46:26

Sabryna speaks with Anvesh Jain about his debut poetry collection, Pilgrim to No Country (Frontenac Press, 2022), focusing on his explorations of immigrant experience, diaspora, and home-making. You can find the book list and transcript for this episode at hhlitandlib.ca/endnote.By Hart House Literary and Library Committee

1
Investigative Journalism: An Introduction 19:39

2+ y ago19:39

19:39

Alex offers a short introduction to investigative journalism—in particular, its beginnings in the 19th century. After a sketch of English journalistic history through the 1850s, he examines Dickens’s “On Duty with Inspector Field” (1851) and Henry Mayhew’s London Labour and the London Poor (1861–62), two early examples of investigative journalism, …

1
Book Club 5 w/ Subhi Jha and Jacky Yu 53:20

2+ y ago53:20

53:20

Subhi Jha, one of L&L’s equity and diversity officers, considers temporality and the absurd in Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot; then, Jacky Yu, L&L’s first-year representative, discusses the critique of “superhero morality” articulated in Alan Moore’s Watchmen. You can find the transcript for this episode at hhlitandlib.ca/endnote.…

1
Next Generation 4 w/ Mina Ivosev 46:56

2+ y ago46:56

46:56

Sabryna speaks with Mina Ivosev, winner of the Hart House Literary Contest in the prose category, about her prize-winning short story, “Birth by Landscape.” You can find the book list and transcript for this episode at hhlitandlib.ca/endnote.By Hart House Literary and Library Committee

1
Hollywood Film w/ Garry Leonard 36:47

2+ y ago36:47

36:47

Alex speaks with Professor Garry Leonard (UofT English) about several Hollywood films, including It’s a Wonderful Life, It Happened One Night, and Pretty Woman, as they relate to his current book project, Six Ways of Looking at Modernity: Cinematic Genre and the Structure of Modern Subjectivity. Key topics of discussion include the relationship bet…

1
Book Club 4 w/ Aayu Pandey 50:19

2+ y ago50:19

50:19

On our special, holiday edition of Book Club, Aayu Pandey, one of L&L’s equity and diversity officers, considers dystopia and the interrelation of life and death in Kurt Vonnegut’s “2 B R 0 2 B”; then, Meixi and Marta discuss labour, poverty, and capitalism in George Saunders’s “Sea Oak.” For the book list and transcript for this episode, visit hhl…

1
Detective Fiction w/ Simon Stern and Adam Hammond 38:02

2+ y ago38:02

38:02

Alex speaks with Professors Simon Stern (UofT Law/English) and Adam Hammond (UofT English) about the detective fiction of Arthur Conan Doyle as it relates to their ongoing project, “The Birth of the Modern Detective Story, 1890–1920.” Key topics of discussion include the rise of the modern “inferential attitude,” the role of probability in detectiv…

1
Popular Romance w/ Daniel Wright 40:35

2+ y ago40:35

40:35

Alex speaks with Professor Daniel Wright of UofT English about two key popular romances, Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre and Anthony Trollope’s Can You Forgive Her?, in the context of his book, Bad Logic: Reasoning About Desire in the Victorian Novel (2018). Key topics of discussion include the relationship between the realist and romance modes, the t…

1
Next Generation 3 w/ Farah Ghafoor 31:35

3y ago31:35

31:35

Farah Ghafoor, winner of the Hart House Literary Contest in the poetry category, speaks about her prize-winning poem, “Self Portrait with Polar Bears,” and her poetry on climate change. You can find the book list and transcript for this episode at hhlitandlib.ca/endnote.By Hart House Literary and Library Committee

1
Book Club 3 w/ Vikram Nijhawan and Alexander Lynch 53:03

3y ago53:03

53:03

Vikram Nijhawan, L&L’s writer’s co-op coordinator, discusses metafictionality and the inextricable relation between fact and fantasy in Neil Gaiman’s The Sandman: Dream Country; then, Alexander Lynch, L&L’s podcast coordinator, examines representations of gender and of empire in James Joyce’s “The Dead.” For the book list and transcript for this ep…

1
Next Generation 2 w/ Ryanne Kap 27:14

3y ago27:14

27:14

Ryanne Kap, a UofT alumna, speaks with Sabryna on the art of personal poetry. You can find the book list and transcript for this episode at hhlitandlib.ca/endnote.By Hart House Literary and Library Committee

1
Popular Writing: An Introduction 20:17

3y ago20:17

20:17

Alex introduces our new Dialogues theme, “Pop”—that is, popular literary and para-literary writing—c. 1850–1950. He discusses the main issues and questions we’ll consider; our genre selection; the social, economic, and political contexts of popular writing in this period; and some of our tentative theses. For the book list and transcript for this e…

1
Next Generation 1 w/ Antonia Facciponte 50:52

3y ago50:52

50:52

On our first Next Generation episode of Season 2, Antonia Facciponte, a creative writing master's student at UofT and the author of To Make a Bridge (Black Moss Press, 2021), speaks on her recent collection and the process of literary creation. You can find the book list and transcript for this episode at hhlitandlib.ca/endnote.…

1
Book Club 2 w/ Matthew Lee and Hannah Koschanow 47:00

3y ago47:00

47:00

Matthew Lee, one of L&L’s co-chairs, discusses family and agency in Gabriel García Márquez’s One Hundred Years of Solitude; then, Hannah Koschanow, one of our literary contest coordinators, speaks on grief and community in Angeline Boulley’s Firekeeper’s Daughter. You can find the transcript for this episode at hhlitandlib.ca/endnote.…

1
Book Club 1 w/ Emily Hurmizi and Helia Karami 49:33

3y ago49:33

49:33

In the first episode of our new season, Emily Hurmizi, one of L&L’s co-chairs, considers embodiment and trauma in Shauna Singh Baldwin’s What The Body Remembers; then, Helia Karami, L&L’s community outreach coordinator, speaks on memory and mortality in Kazuo Ishiguro’s Never Let Me Go. You can find the transcript for this episode at www.hhlitandli…

1
Endnote Season 2 Trailer 1:08

3y ago1:08

1:08

Endnote Season Two is premiering on Friday, August 13th! Here's a quick overview of what's in store.By Hart House Literary and Library Committee

1
Season 1 Finale 38:13

3+ y ago38:13

38:13

For our season finale, Alex draws together our Currents and Next Generation episodes from this season, highlighting both through-lines and tensions, to consider some of what we’ve learned from our exploration of the present and future of literature and literary affairs over the past year. For the transcript for this episode, visit hhlitandlib.ca/en…

1
Next Generation 5 w/ Tahmeed Shafiq 52:32

3+ y ago52:32

52:32

Tahmeed Shafiq, a student writer and journalist, joins Marta to discuss a story and poem of his, his creative influences, and fantasy literature. For the full text of Tahmeed's short story, "Love and Marriage in the Hexasun Lands," visit lightspeedmagazine.com/fiction/love-and-marriage-in-the-hexasun-lands. The book list and transcript for this epi…

1
Next Generation 4 w/ Liam Bryant 53:19

3+ y ago53:19

53:19

Liam Bryant, a student poet, joins Marta, our new staff member, to discuss poems on love, religion, and the natural world. For the full text of his poems, as well as the book list and transcript for this episode, visit hhlitandlib.ca/endnote.By Hart House Literary and Library Committee

1
Afrofuturism w/ Stephanie Chrismon 1:09:19

3+ y ago1:09:19

1:09:19

Stephanie Chrismon, an Afrofuturist writer and scholar-educator, joins Alex to offer an introduction to Afrofuturism and some of its key writers, works, and thematic concerns. For the book list and transcript for this episode, visit hhlitandlib.ca/endnote. To register for or learn more about Exploring Black & Indigenous Futurisms 2021, an exciting …

1
Comic Books w/ Rick Remender 51:16

3+ y ago51:16

51:16

Rick Remender, a comic book writer, artist, and animator who has worked at Marvel, Image Comics, and Electronic Arts, among others, joins Vikram, our writers’ co-op coordinator, to talk about his creative journey and inspirations. For the book list and transcript for this episode, visit hhlitandlib.ca/endnote.…

1
Next Generation 3 w/ Marta Anielska 59:21

3+ y ago59:21

59:21

Marta Anielska, a student writer, editor, and reporter, joins Alex to talk about their short story, “Figments of My Imagination,” as well as their literary influences and creative involvements. For the book list and transcript for this episode, visit hhlitandlib.ca/endnote.By Hart House Literary and Library Committee

1
Book Club w/ Allyson Aritcheta 33:32

3+ y ago33:32

33:32

Allyson, one of Lit and Lib’s literary contest coordinators, joins Alex to offer her holiday book recommendations. For the book list and transcript for this episode, visit hhlitandlib.ca/endnote.By Hart House Literary and Library Committee

1
Plague Literature w/ Professors Emily Nacol and Kevin Chong 51:28

3+ y ago51:28

51:28

Emily Nacol, professor of political science at UofT, and Kevin Chong, author and professor of creative writing at UBC, join Alex to discuss classic and contemporary works of plague literature. For the book list and transcript for this episode, visit hhlitandlib.ca/endnote. To learn more about Lit and Lib's upcoming events, visit hhlitandlib.ca/even…

1
Canadian Multicultural Literatures w/ Professor Smaro Kamboureli 37:25

4y ago37:25

37:25

For the first episode in our Currents series, Professor Smaro Kamboureli of UofT English joins Alex to discuss some of the key authors and issues in Canadian multicultural literatures. For our Canlits recommendations and the transcript for this episode, visit hhlitandlib.ca/endnote.By Hart House Literary and Library Committee

1
Book Club w/ Dania Kassim 34:28

4y ago34:28

34:28

Dania, Lit and Lib’s Equity and Diversity Officer, joins Alex to discuss her fall reading week book recommendations. For the notes, book list, and transcript for this episode, visit hhlitandlib.ca/endnote.By Hart House Literary and Library Committee

1
Next Generation 2 w/ Grace Ma 59:14

4y ago59:14

59:14

Grace Ma, a student poet and environmental activist, joins Alex to discuss a selection of her poems, environmentalism, and her literary influences. For the full text of Grace's poems and the episode's book list and transcript, visit hhlitandlib.ca/endnote.By Hart House Literary and Library Committee

1
Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in Literary Affairs w/ Dania Kassim and Emily Hurmizi 55:10

4y ago55:10

55:10

Dania Kassim and Emily Hurmizi, Lit and Lib’s equity and diversity officer and co-chair, respectively, join Alex to discuss equity, diversity, and inclusion in literary affairs and what Lit and Lib is doing to support these principles in our programming this year. For the book list, transcript, and links for this episode, visit hhlitandlib.ca/endno…

1
Next Generation 1 w/ Veronica Spada 38:21

4y ago38:21

38:21

In this episode, Veronica Spada, winner of the Hart House Review’s literary contest in the prose category, joins Alex to discuss her prize-winning short story, her inspirations, and her writing process. For the book list and transcript for this episode, visit hhlitandlib.ca/endnote. If you’re a UofT student, be sure to attend Lit and Lib’s student …

1
Book Club w/ Lily Bechtold and Vikram Nijhawan 57:14

4y ago57:14

57:14

In this episode, Lily and Vikram, Lit and Lib’s communications coordinator and writers’ co-op lead, respectively, join Alex to discuss their favourite books and top summer reads! For the book list and transcript for this episode, visit our website at hhlitandlib.ca/endnote. If you’re a UofT student, be sure to attend Lit and Lib’s literary fair on …

1
Book Club w/ Aline Nayir and Allison Zhao 38:21

4y ago38:21

38:21

In this episode, Aline and Allison, HHLLC’s secretary and treasurer, respectively, join Alex to offer their summer reading recommendations. For the book list and transcript for this episode, visit our website at hhlitandlib.ca/endnote. If you’re a UofT student, be sure to attend Lit and Lib’s literary fair on September 18th—visit hhlitandlib.ca/eve…

1
Book Club w/ Emily Hurmizi and Matthew Lee 51:49

4y ago51:49

51:49

In our first episode of the new year, HHLLC co-chairs Emily Hurmizi and Matthew Lee join Alexander to offer their summer reading recommendations! For the book list and transcript for this episode, visit our website at hhlitandlib.ca/endnote.By Hart House Literary and Library Committee

1
Coming Soon: Endnote 1:01

4y ago1:01

1:01

Explore the world of literature from the comfort of your seat with the Endnote Podcast! Starting August 7th, join Alex Lynch and the Hart House Literary and Library Committee as they talk about the big ideas in literature with UofT professors and Canadian authors, showcase emerging authors from around the Hart House community, and chat about the bo…

1
"Nursery Rhyme" by W.H. Auden 1:40:32

7y ago1:40:32

1:40:32

Nursery Rhyme by W.H. Auden A World Without Cats for Cats Without a World Have you ever wondered what would happen if we picked a poem about which we could provide very little meaningful analysis? Well, wonder no more! After a promising preliminary formal analysis (try to keep track of how many times Keir says "Chiasmus" over the course of the epis…

1
"The Visible The Untrue" by Hart Crane 1:50:45

7y ago1:50:45

1:50:45

The Visible The Untrue by Hart Crane Apollo, The Blimp, and the Window Who Loved Him Ok, so this episode's a bit of a thing. The poem we picked ended up having some relatively strong sexual elements. Those sexual elements are also dealing in particular with gay male sexuality. I do, however, want to stress that we would be expressing the same disco…

1
"No man saw awe nor to his house" by Emily Dickinson 1:26:56

7y ago1:26:56

1:26:56

Episode 2: The Adventures of Tricky Dickieson This poem was a tough one, but I believe we perservered through some delightfully arcane syntax. That said, I do feel compelled to give a "head's up" about the nature of some of the subject matter in this week's episode. Probably Unnecessary Warning So, the poem we picked this week ended up relying on s…

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